How to Add Sensors After Your Gateway is Already Checking In

Adding Sensors After Your Gateway is Already Checking In

There are scenarios where you might be adding devices after you have an existing Sensor Network, receiving sensors back for repair, or where you have already powered on devices outside of the standard order of operations for setting up Iotplus devices. Order of operations is important in the Iotplus system in terms of getting your devices to report data in a timely manner. If the order of operations are not followed, you may be waiting for your sensors to display sensor data in the portal. This is especially key when adding sensors to your Iotplus Online Portal after your gateway has already been set up and is currently checking in, or if you have already inserted the batteries into your sensors prior to adding them to the Iotplus Online Portal. This article will provide details on this operation, and getting your sensors to communicate in a timely manner when adding them after your devices are already powered up.

Standard order of operations

When adding devices to the portal, the following sequence will result in data displayed in the Iotplus software promptly. This is the order of operations Iotplus suggests when adding devices to a Sensor Network.

Add the gateway to the Sensor Network.
Add the sensor to the Sensor Network.
Power the gateway on, and confirm you see the gateway communicating with the Iotplus Online Portal.
Power the sensor on (insert batteries or use switch if so equipped).
Press and immediately release the button on the gateway (or wait for the gateway’s subsequent check in).
When setting up sensors with the preceding order of operations, you will find your sensors reporting data in a timely fashion.
Note: When first setting up sensors, you will see your sensor check in several times 30 seconds apart. This is part of the self test. This does not generally mean your sensor has a 30 second Heartbeat, but rather the sensor is conducting a self test and handshake with the gateway. After the sensor checks in several time (4 or 10 times 30 seconds apart, depending on the version), it will return to its normal Heartbeat (which is 2 hours by default).

Drawback of deviating from the standard order of operations

If you have setup your Sensor Network with a different order of operations, there is no damage that can be done. You may simply need to wait until the gateway downloads its Sensor List, the sensor is authorized to to communicate, and it attempts to Join the gateway. Therefore it may be a day or so before you see the sensor reporting data to the gateway. See the article regarding Sensor Lists and Link Mode for details on factors in this timeline.

If you have already setup outside of the standard order of operations and have access to your devices

Note: As discussed in this article regarding Sensor Lists, pressing and immediately releasing the button of a gateway (if so equipped) will initiate and immediate check in where the gateway will download all the sensor ID’s from the Iotplus server. This is critical for authorizing your sensors to communicate with the gateway.

Confirm all devices have been added to the Sensor Network.
Power Your Sensors off.
Press and immediately release the Utility button on the gateway (to download the Sensor List and authorize the sensors you added to communicate with your gateway).
Power your sensors on.
Press and immediately release the Utility button on the gateway (to immediately transmit any queued transmissions to the Iotplus software).
You should see sensor data displayed in the Iotplus software. If you do not, allow 60 minutes to pass before attempting the above steps again.

If you have already setup outside of the standard order of operations and do not have access to your devices

In the scenario you do not have access to your devices, you can still perform steps to get your devices checking in (though you may need to be patient for the sensors to attempt to connect to the gateway); see the steps below.

Reform the gateway’s network (the reform will be processed upon the gateway’s subsequent check in).
Wait for the gateway to check in.
Watch for a series of Gateway Management messages under the gateway’s history.
The sensors should attempt to connect, and you should see sensor data as per Link Mode operation.

Conclusion

Adding devices after you have already power them up can be instinctive, but can affect the rate at which you see data reported by your devices. This article should help you get data from your sensors even if the steps you took to set up were out of the normal order. If you need additional guidance, please contact info@iotplus.com.au.